


Fever

by angelfan5589



Category: Naruto
Genre: Anbu Haruno Sakura, F/M, Fluff, Love Confessions, Love Triangles, No Uchiha Massacre
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-27
Updated: 2018-09-25
Packaged: 2019-07-03 02:46:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 15,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15809757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angelfan5589/pseuds/angelfan5589
Summary: Sasuke owed her big time. All he asked was for her to look after his sick older brother for a few hours but what Sakura got was more than what she expected. A sick Itachi is throwing her off balance and it wasn't just because of his bare chest.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is an idea that got stuck and demanded I see it through. This will most likely be a two-shot. Non-mass.
> 
> I don't own anything. But please, enjoy and provide feedback. I'm not used to much fluff/one-shot type stories.

A pink eyebrow rose in question. "What?" Sakura asked, prompting her teammate to clarify. He never invited her out for tea and dango.

"Itachi is sick." He repeated instead.

"I don't see how that is any of my concern." She commented. It wasn't a mean spirited sentiment as she only knew Itachi from a few missions and in passing. She would characterize their relationship as easy acquaintances, though they'd never interacted in a one-on-one setting.

Sasuke took a long sigh before finally getting to the point. "My mother has been tending to him but she has errands to run this afternoon. She wants me to ask you to look after Itachi for a few hours." She was going to ask him why he couldn't look after his own brother when she realized he probably had training with Naruto and Kakashi. The latter was helping the two knuckleheads get into ANBU. It was a feat she'd accomplished nearly 5 months ago. Granted it wasn't a permanent position as she still had duties at the hospital. Still, as Tsunade's apprentice and the best damn medic nin in Konoha, she had been assigned to team ANBU missions from time to time at the Hokage's discretion. It felt good to have the two boys scramble to catch up to her for once and she had no doubt they would make it before the year was up. According to Kakashi, they were coming along nicely.

Sakura took a sip of her tea then took a bite of dango, considering the proposition. "Fine. You owe me though. There's a bug going around and Shishou doesn't want to overprescribe drugs." Bad news for the constantly busy Itachi as it meant he would have to suffer for a few days of bedrest. As captain of ANBU team 4 and adept at solo missions, he was running quite ragged from what Sakura heard. It would do him and his team some good.

"Thanks Sakura." Sasuke looked visibly relieved. Stress from the task his mother had given him and some concern for his beloved older brother. Her teammate had a hero brother complex.

"No problem." She said as she polished off her tea.

"I've never seen aniki have the sniffles let alone a cold."

"It's the medication we've been giving out. Over medicating for common colds cause superbugs. Which is why Tsunade is reluctant to prescribe something for what's been going around." Sasuke nodded and gave his usual monosyllable 'hn.' "I'm sure your brother will feel better in a few days."

**

True to Sakura's word, she showed up at the Uchiha main house with her medical kit. She was greeted by the matriarch herself who looked to be ready to leave the house.

"Thank you for coming Sakura-san." The pink haired medic smiled, hoping to ease the anxiety the older woman showed.

"I'm happy to help Mikoto-san. Itachi-san is in good hands so please take your time." Sakura followed the older woman into the house, taking off her shoes at the front door and walking quietly along the wooden floors. She'd been a guest of the house for dinners but had never gone towards the living area.

"His fever is still quite high so I've been giving him cold compresses. I think it's been helping." Sakura nodded, mapping out the house so she wouldn't get lost. "I just fed him lunch so he should be sleeping right now."

"How is his appetite?"

"Not good but he had some porridge." Sakura gave Mikoto a sympathetic look. "Here we are." The dark haired woman opened what Sakura presumed was Itachi's bedroom door. Sakura took out a surgical mask and put it on her face, hooking it on her ears. Tsunade would have her head if she caught a cold from Itachi. It also wouldn't look good on her as a medic.

Itachi was sleeping on a futon, a white folded towel on his forehead. Sakura entered the room fully and kneeled next to her patient, placing her kit next to her. Behind her was a bowl of ice water for the compress. "I'll leave him in your care." Mikoto whispered as she exited the room. Itachi was breathing deeply and evenly, which was a good sign.

The blanket was raised up to Itachi's chin, making one of the most dangerous shinobi in all five nations appear small. Sakura smiled wryly at that thought before she took out her thermometer and stethoscope. She didn't want to wake him but she also needed to know the severity of whatever he caught.

With a gentle hand, Sakura took the wet towel off his forehead and placed it into the bowl behind her. His wet bangs stuck to the sides of his face and his brows drew together as he slowly started waking up.

"Mother?" His voice was husky from sleep and a bit dazed but his eyes were clear.

"Hello, Itachi-san." He turned to her voice, focusing on her masked face. "Your mother asked me to look after you this afternoon." She said, adding, "Haruno Sakura," in case he was confused in his fever. He nodded in understanding and let out a silent grimace.

"Um. I'm going to need you to sit up and take your temperature." He rose up to his elbows and she helped him to a sitting position which caused the blanket to pool at his waist. When she was met with a bare chest, Sakura could only gape in surprise. A blush quickly reached her cheeks and she mentally berated herself for thinking of how she wanted to touch his hard pectorals.

Thankfully the surgical mask hid her reaction and she had to force herself to look away from the slight sheen of perspiration on his body. She swept his long, tied hair over his shoulder to hide half his chest from her view. Handing him the thermometer, she brought her stethoscope up and placed it on his back. An image of a shirtless and glistening Itachi wouldn't leave her brain for some time. He took a deep breath, left lung clear. She moved the scope to his right side and tried to focus on the task at hand and not how she could clearly see the defined muscles of his bare arms. Damned Uchiha genes, right lung clear. She brought the scope lower to check his diaphragm when she caught a whiff of his natural scent through her mask.

Holy Hells. No man who was obviously sick and sweaty should smell so enticing. Maybe it was because she suddenly found his body very attractive but her blush deepened and she had to pull away for her own sanity. Putting her stethoscope away, Sakura took the thermometer from him and frowned at how high his fever was. He wasn't in any immediate danger but it would get quite worrisome if she didn't bring it down at least two or three degrees. His body was valiantly trying to burn through what was ailing him but too long at this temperature would do more harm than good.

After helping him gingerly lay down, she didn't notice Itachi raise his hand to her hair while she put her tools away. He was staring at her, fingering a few strands of her shoulder length pink locks. Instantly flustered, she looked to his features for any sign of what he was thinking but even in his sickly state, he gave nothing away. With a sigh, he lowered his arm and allowed her to pull the blanket up to his shoulders. Not even half an hour in and he was driving her mad. Uchiha weren't known to be overly affectionate or touchy.

Sakura had the pleasure of working with ANBU team 4 on a few occasions and Itachi was a no nonsense, mission completing machine. The only levity or lightheartedness came in the form of Uchiha Shiui who was a known flirt. She'd never known Itachi to do something frivolous or unnecessary. She concluded he must be sick and confused.

"Rest Itachi-san. We have to bring your fever down." His face was still turned towards her and she was once again thankful for the mask that hid her warm cheeks. Bringing the bowl closer to her knees, she began wringing the towel. The only sounds were of the ice clinking and water dripping but to Sakura, her heart was still thumping in her ears. Itachi's eyes were closed, giving her enough time to compose herself before she brushed some of his damp bangs away from his forehead and placed the cold compress. She didn't quite know when he fell asleep but eventually he did.

She took out a small medical book she had brought with her and started where she'd left off. Sakura checked on his compress every few minutes but tried to leave Itachi largely undisturbed. Almost an hour passed when Itachi stirred a little. Sakura had patted his cheeks with the towel before placing it back on his forehead. But even with the cold compress, she could see him sweating.

Itachi was once again dazed when he woke, his dark, onyx eyes glassy and unclear from his fever. When he tried to rise, Sakura pushed at his shoulders, calming him back down. She realized it must be hard for him to keep still and confined to bedrest. He was a lot like her in a way. Driven, independent, and a workaholic. The ordeal had to be humbling for him and she realized just how human Itachi was.

As an ANBU captain and the clan heir to one of the most influential families in Konoha, it had to be difficult for him to be taken out by a cold. His eyes suddenly became sharp as he fixated on her masked face. Sakura's emerald eyes widened at the sudden change and concluded he must have forgotten she had been there.

"Mikoto-san hasn't returned yet, Itachi-san." She offered as an explanation.

He rose to his elbows again, intending to sit up. "Water." He rasped, "Sakura….san, please." She helped him up, setting the damp towel in the bowl before getting up to fetch a glass of water. Once out the door, she took off the mask and placed a chilled hand on her flaming cheeks. When he was covered by a blanket, she was safe. How was she going to go on a mission with him now without constantly undressing him. Knocking her knuckles on the top of her head she shook those thoughts away and walked to the kitchen.

If she told Sasuke she'd ogled his older brother while tending to him, she'd never hear the end of it. The pinkette only hoped her patient hadn't caught on to her semi-lewd thoughts. It was no wonder Itachi was one of the most sought after bachelors in Konoha and it certainly explained why there was always a fight amongst the nurses over who got to give Itachi a check up. She easily found a glass and filled it with room temperature water and grabbed another cup full of ice before returning to Itachi's room. Placing the surgical mask back on, she entered and silently handed him the drink. With a sigh, Itachi finished the contents.

"Thank you, Sakura-san." She smiled, though he couldn't see it and set the empty glass down.

He sounded and looked a bit better.

"You're welcome, Itachi-san. Let me know if you experience any discomfort."

Taking the thermometer out again, she checked his temperature, busying herself with wringing out the compress again. One and a half degrees down. At least it was something. Helping him back down, she brushed the towel against both sides of his neck, providing some cooling relief before placing it on his forehead.

"Hn." Sakura smiled again, reminded of her teammate, she wondered if Sasuke had gotten the habit from his older brother.

"We should try to get your temperature down another 2 degrees before I leave." He made another soft sound of agreement before closing his eyes again to rest. Sakura took her book back out and kept vigil. She finished the small book an hour later and was getting bored. She wanted to look around his room a bit but decided it would be an invasion of his privacy. So, she let her mind wander to random, inconsequential things. Mikoto would probably be back within the next two hours anyway. Too bad she was indoors and couldn't watch the clouds pass by like Shikamaru often did.

Not ten minutes later, Sakura saw Itachi toss a bit, clearly uncomfortable. He turned to the side, facing her and causing the wet towel to plop down onto the futon. She quickly picked it up before the water could seep into the dark colored fabric. Itachi woke and sat up, he was now moving better than before. Hopefully that meant his fever broke. The stupid and also blessed dark navy blanket pooled at his waist again, giving her yet another view of Itachi's sculpted chest.

'You're a medic. You've seen hundreds of shirtless men. Pull yourself together'.

"The sweat is uncomfortable." He said, looking at her expectantly. What did he want her to do about it? When it clicked into place, she bemoaned the thought of washing Itachi. Just looking at him was difficult and he wanted her to touch him? Her face burning, Sakura soundlessly nodded, not trusting her voice. She found a new towel close by and wetted it in the bowl.

Wringing it out, she inched a bit closer so she could pat him down. He closed his eyes and Sakura had to fight her natural instinct to flee. Suddenly Sakura didn't know if Sasuke owed her or if she owed Sasuke. There were probably a dozen women who would kill to be in her place right now.

This close to Uchiha Itachi and focused solely on his chest, Sakura saw faint scars here and there. When she was about to draw away, he grabbed her hand faster than she thought him possible in his current state.

"My back." Sakura gulped audibly and berated herself for it. Her pulse skyrocketed when he leaned forward and rested his heated forehead on her shoulder.

Officially the closest she'd ever been to Itachi, Sakura was flustered and unsteady. He was sick and still had a high fever. There was no way Sasuke's brother of all people would try something on her. Worried he might be able to hear the rapid beating of her heart, she willed herself to calm down and act professional.

A few agonizing minutes ticked by and Sakura was done. Unfortunately, Itachi didn't appear ready to move. Fully aware of his body and their proximity, Sakura was at a loss. She cleared her throat, thinking he was asleep. Still no movement.

"Itachi-san?" Nothing. "I'm...um, done." Finally, Itachi lifted his head, placing their faces inches apart. Good lord, she could count his eyelashes if she wanted to. Her cheeks now aflame, Sakura held her breath, waiting for him to lay back down.

"Sakura." Her name without an honorific caught her off guard.

"Itachi-san?" He raised his hand to her hair, lightly caressing the ends of a few strands that were framing her face. Her breath hitched and her mind went utterly blank. What was he doing?

His eyes were on his fingers and her pink hair. Then she felt the backs of his fingers caress the mask where her cheek was. She froze when he inched forward slowly and kissed her through the mask. Her thoughts were nothing more than unintelligible words and sounds of disbelief. He just. Itachi just. What? What just happened?

He drew back, a frown on his aristocratic features. "Tch." He tsked in annoyance and after a quick flick from the hand still by her face, her mask fell off one ear and dangled down her cheek on the opposite side.

Her cheeks pink, mouth agape in confusion, Sakura made a sound of protest that fell on deaf ears as he took her lips with his. His tongue slipped into her mouth with ease as the last barrier had been done away with and she offered up no resistance.

He swept her away with his unusual actions and her eyes fluttered closed at the new sensation he was subjecting her to. When he nipped at her bottom lip, Sakura's lips moved of their own accord and she began kissing him back. Needing to breathe, Itachi drew away from her now swollen lips and peppered light kisses on on her cheeks and jaw. He trailed kisses to her neck and a small moan escaped her lips. Horrified, she instantly realized that this was wrong on multiple levels.

She jerked back but was prevented from retreat. One of his hands was in her hair and the other was on her hip. She had no idea when he had done either of those things. When she felt his tongue trace her pulse, Sakura shivered. Then let out a louder moan when he unexpectedly bit the juncture between her neck and shoulder.

Her hands flew to his bare shoulders and pushed him away, sending some chakra to ensure he wouldn't be able to stop her from fleeing this time. He fell back onto the futon and she righted her mask with one hand while the other covered the place his lips had last been. Needing some time to process, she dashed out of the room.

Sakura blindly made her way to kitchen, her blush still high on her cheeks on spreading to her neck as her mind lingered on the kiss. Her lips still tingled and she could still taste him on her tongue. He was sick, surely he'd thought it was a dream or maybe it was some sort of delirium. Maybe he knew some other Sakura, she rationalized. But he'd purposely touched her pink hair and no one else in Konoha sported such a vibrant color. When she arrived in the kitchen, she caught sight of a few plastic bags filled with groceries. Noticing the other person in the room, her gaze fell on Mikoto.

"Ah, Sakura-san. How was everything while I was gone?" The older woman appeared to have just gotten back from running her errands and was just settling in.

"E-everything went well, Mikoto-san. His fever went down slightly so I think he should be completely healed in two or three days." The black haired woman smiled kindly and thanked her.

"Won't you stay for dinner? I want to thank you for your time."

"It was nothing." Sakura tried to come up with an excuse." I actually have dinner plans so I won't be able to stay." She still had her tools in Itachi's room. But she didn't want to go into his room alone. She'll have Sasuke pick it up. "I'm um, actually late so I'll take my leave." Sakura bowed then hastened out of the compound, leaving behind a confused Uchiha Mikoto.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is longer than the first one and will include Itachi's side to this mess.
> 
> I don't own anything. But please, enjoy and provide feedback. I'm not used to much fluff/one-shot type stories.

Thinking it would be best to see Sasuke first, Sakura made her way to the training grounds where he, Naruto, and Kakashi were sure to be. Factoring in Kakashi's penchant for tardiness, she guessed they were about 20 minutes into sparring. Sakura arrived on the scene to a variation of Kakashi's bell test where Naruto was the holder of the bells and the other two were meant to take them from him. ANBU dealt with the greatest secrets and missions of the utmost importance. Safeguarding vital information was the biggest responsibility ANBU members had.

Naruto was doing pretty well, using his shadow clones as distractions as he made his way through the grounds. Kakashi and Sasuke were hot on his tail, communicating effortlessly with hand gestures. They were getting closer, trying to box the orange clad nin into a corner but Naruto swiftly evaded or fought his way through them.

Her surgical mask long since abandoned in a trashcan on the way, Sakura was still flushed when she announced to the trio that she wanted to join them in sparring.

The three stopped upon hearing her voice and they looked to each other in confusion at her sudden appearance and request. Sasuke stepped forward and Kakashi and Naruto followed suit so that they were a few feet from each other and wouldn't have to yell.

"More the merrier, Sakura-chan!" Her blond teammate grinned, "we can have a 2v2". Kakashi didn't voice any complaints or objections which meant he was on board, although he was probably curious as to why Sakura had suddenly wanted to train with them. Most of her training or sparring sessions were with ANBU teams in order to familiarize herself with their fighting style and individual attributes. During missions, she rarely saw combat unless the situation called for her specific style.

"How's Itachi?" Sasuke predictably asked.

"He's fine." Her reply was rather curt so Sakura tried to back peddle. "His fever went down a little and your mother is with him now." She knew she made a mistake but she hoped he would drop the matter. She mentally sighed and relaxed when Sasuke nodded then agreed to her earlier request.

She needed to fight through the utter confusion in her mind. Sparring gave her clarity and something to focus on other than the fact that she'd kissed Uchiha Itachi of all people. Sakura didn't want to pull her hair wondering and second guessing herself about his motivations or lack thereof. Sakura was reasonable and logical. Sure, sometimes she got emotional but she was also a bookworm at heart. She needed concrete facts and information to feel comfortable. So the pink haired kunoichi desperately didn't wish to mentally go through each and every interaction she'd had with Itachi in order to possibly glean what he had meant by kissing her. It would drive her up a wall. She just wanted to forget the whole ordeal even happened. Maybe it would be a step into convincing herself that she didn't want to kiss Itachi again. If she admitted that, it would open up an entirely different can of worms. While the kiss had been wholly unpredicted, it wasn't...unpleasant and on some level, that scared her.

Slipping on her gloves, Sakura clenched her fists. She'd figure out her feelings later. Right now, she needed to tire herself out and punch things.

A few hours later, everyone was ready to go their separate ways. Naruto excitedly made plans to go to Ichiraku while Sasuke informed the group he'd have dinner at home today. Sakura caught his attention with her eyes.

"I left my medical bag in your brother's room. Could you give it to me sometime this week?" She knew her question surprised him when his eyes narrowed slightly in suspicion.

"Did something happen?" Sasuke was too damn quick for his own good.

"No, I just forgot it." She could tell he was still skeptical but he eventually accepted her excuse with his standard 'hn.'

While Sasuke went home, the rest of the team headed to Ichiraku for some ramen much to Naruto's excitement. Finally, Sakura felt some semblance of normalcy. 

**

"Sakura-senpai!" The pink haired kunoichi in question had just stepped out of a hospital room with a manila folder when one of the younger medic nin called out to her from the other side of the hallway. Instantly alert and fearing an emergency, Sakura rushed forward to meet her.

"What happened, Chi?" Short for Chihiro, the blonde gestured to the direction she came from, a bit breathless.

"The front desk wanted me to inform you someone is waiting for you in your office." Sakura nodded, having expected Sasuke to return her medical kit yesterday.

"Thank you. Did they tell you who it was?"

"They only said it was Uchiha-san...I'm not sure who."

"It's okay. I've been expecting him." Chihiro let out a sigh of relief. "How long has he been waiting?" Sakura inquired.

"About 20 minutes." That was odd, he wasn't known to be particularly patient. Sasuke could have just left her kit in her office. Maybe he had something to tell her. "I'll take my lunch break then." Sakura told the younger girl, letting her know where she could be found in case an emergency popped up.

"Yes, Sakura-senpai." Sakura smiled then took her leave, swiftly heading to her office.

"Thanks, I'll buy you lunch. What took you so long?" Sakura announced as she entered her office. When she caught sight of who had been waiting for her, she paused and froze in the middle of her open doorway. The Uchiha fan was on the back of a dark blue shirt but the hairstyle and build of the man in front of her wasn't that of Sasuke but of Itachi.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, Sakura-san." He said, taking notice of her shocked expression before she composed herself. He turned to her fully as he stood in the middle of her office, in front of her messy desk stacked high with files and paperwork. In his hand was the medical kit she'd abandoned in his room in her haste to flee from him. He looked healthy, with a vitality that had been absent while he was sick. But Sakura could see he'd lost a little bit of weight. His hair was in his usual low ponytail and he seemed almost casual in his continence and attire. His presence made her small office seem insignificant and haphazard.

"Ah. No, you're not disturbing me at all, Itachi-san. I apologize, I was expecting Sasuke." She exclaimed as she closed her door and entered her office. Somehow the familiar place seemed foreign to her. As if she were entering his space. There was an awkwardness in the air as she wondered if he was going to bring up the kiss. Sakura honestly hadn't been expecting to see him so soon. It didn't help that her wayward brain immediately stripped him of his shirt and conjured up the chest she'd washed only a few days ago.

"Hn."

"How are you feeling?" She asked as she made her way around him to her desk. She placed more space between of them than necessary and it had been a defensive move, placing her furniture between them in her subconscious effort to stay away from him. Sakura lightly dropped the folder in her hand on one of the stacks on her desk for later review.

"Better. Something I must thank you for."

She waved him off, hoping to appear nonchalant. "I didn't do much. Your mother did most of the work."

"I've come to return this, Sasuke told me you left it in my room." He handed her the rectangular black bag by the handle which Sakura accepted it gratefully with outstretched hands.

"Thank you, I forgot it." She explained awkwardly as she placed it on her leather desk chair.

"I also came to formally invite you to dinner sometime next week." A faint blush appeared on her cheeks at the thought of entering his house again. She could barely look at him without thinking of his lips and she had the urge to pull her short pink locks or bang her head repeatedly against a wall. Sakura knew she couldn't refuse the invitation. It would be an insult.

"I don't have any plans for dinner next week so, any night that's convenient for your family will do."

He gave her a curt nod and a silence stretched on for a few seconds as Sakura held her breath waiting for him to say something.

"I've taken up enough of your time. I'll see you next week for dinner, Sakura-san." The pinkette nodded, a bit disappointed. Perhaps Itachi didn't even remember the act or if he did, he didn't wish to bring it up. That meant the kiss wasn't significant.

Sakura felt foolish. Of course it didn't mean anything, Itachi never once hinted at having any sort of attraction or amorous feeling towards her. Against her better judgment, she had stayed up a night or two combing over their interactions. Sakura had even gone so far as to try to see under the underneath with every little gesture and word. But she discovered that they'd had very mundane, innocuous interactions. How was she supposed to glean something meaningful from him telling her to 'take your time healing Genma' or 'Wednesday's training will be at the Uchiha compound'.

Sakura had to forget about it or risk their professional relationship. She couldn't very well be distracted on an ANBU mission because of some stupid, world shaking kiss he erringly bestowed on her. She also didn't think she could handle anymore analysis of their past and future interactions. Even if he did call her name before the kiss and touch her pink locks.

Sakura watched Itachi turn to leave but moved forward to stop him. "Ah, Itachi-san. If you haven't eaten yet, I'd like to take you to lunch. As thanks for returning my bag." After all, Sakura had offered to buy lunch when she entered. Granted, she thought she was speaking to Sasuke. But it would be rude not to extend the same offer to the one who actually delivered her kit.

If she was going to pretend Itachi didn't kiss her, she might as well start now. She would practice acting normal in a neutral setting, before she had to go to the Uchiha compound for dinner and before they were matched up for another mission. Or maybe she was a masochist.

Sakura never did figure out what she felt towards the stoic man in her office. At one time she had been in love with Sasuke like most girls her age. But after spending time with him on the same team, she concluded he would never feel the same way and she discovered they weren't very compatible. Sasuke and Naruto became her brothers. So when Sakura met Itachi, she subconsciously made him off limits. With a five year age difference between them and a vast difference in social standing as he was the heir to a clan, Sakura had seen Itachi as more mature and accomplished and therefore unobtainable. But the kiss had changed everything and she was at a loss. Perhaps time with him would help clarify her own uncertain feelings. It felt like she was seeing him for the first time. Not as Sasuke's brother, but as a man and a potential romantic interest.

"Alright, Sakura-san."

**

Itachi had woken up for what seemed like the first time in a week. He'd never recalled a time when he was sick and he found the experience displeasing. The longest the proud Uchiha had ever been bedridden was after a particularly lengthy and strenuous ANBU mission where he saved Shisui's life. But that had only been two days thanks to the Hokage's apprentice, Haruno Sakura. This cold had put him out of commission for at least 4 days full of muddy half-awake moments where time seemed to pass both agonizingly slowly and shockingly quickly. He now felt perfectly fine, well rested even.

Why then was he so hyper aware of his body? Itachi's muscle memory was one of his greatest strengths. While in a fight, no movement was wasted and he was usually able to move faster than an enemy and react quickly even without the aide of his sharingan. Yet, as he walked next to Sakura, he was fully aware of each and every movement he made. Not only that but he was acutely in tune to the woman beside him as well. They weren't even walking particularly close to one another. Certainly not close enough where it was improper. The streets were mostly empty as they were heading to a late lunch which gave them plenty of room to stroll leisurely down the street. Itachi had insisted she pick the venue and so he was mostly following her lead.

He was frustrated at himself and wondered if this was some side effect of his cold. Odd that it hadn't happened before. It was almost as though he was nervous. The pair had eaten together on numerous occasions but never without others. In fact, he couldn't really recall an occasion in which they'd spent any length of time together without another person.

When the wind picked up, Sakura brushed strands of pink hair out of her face. It was aggravating that he'd noticed the slight movement with interest from the corner of his eye. The wind also sent a pleasant scent of strawberries and flowers, presumably from her shampoo. The scent was oddly comforting and familiar, causing a nagging sensation to hit him as he struggled to identify why it was so comforting. Before he could give it too much thought, Itachi tensed as he sensed a presence dropping down next to them. He'd been too distracted to notice his cousin's approach.

"Shisui!" Sakura exclaimed as they stopped in the middle of the street. It also didn't escape his notice that she'd neglected to place a suffix next to Shisui's name and for the life of him, Itachi didn't know why that bothered him.

"Hey Sakura-chan. I was just looking for Itachi." She nodded as his cousin turned his attention to him. "I heard you finally recovered from the scary cold. Thought you'd want to train. Sasuke told me I'd find you at the hospital so I got worried but it looks like you're fine."

"Of course." He said simply.

"Itachi-san was returning my medical bag." Shisui gave her an odd look, as if wondering why they were still together if all Itachi did was return her belonging. "We were just on our way to lunch. Care to join us?"

Itachi stiffened, giving Shisui a subtle dark glare that dared him to accept. Shisui caught on quickly but quirked a brow at the ANBU captain that Sakura didn't seem to notice. "Nah, I already ate. I'll meet you for sparring at 3?" Itachi nodded. "I'll see you around, Sakura-chan."

Shisui breezed past him, briefly placing a hand on his shoulder. They were going to talk later, and he wasn't looking forward to it. How would he explain his actions when he himself didn't know what he was doing?

"It's just around this corner." She said, as they resumed leisurely making their way down the street. He recognized the place. Itachi found Genma at this establishment on more than one occasion flirting with nurses from the hospital. The other man had a death wish. It was no secret the Hokage didn't take kindly to men harassing her hospital staff. He mentally frowned when he wondered if Genma had ever harassed Sakura. The thought sat ill with him but before he could reflect on it, Sakura spoke. "There's another restaurant farther down if you'd prefer." She surprised him by her suggestion and Itachi took greater care to school his features.

"This is acceptable." He replied as he held the door open for her. They were seated promptly and Itachi glanced at the bentos on the menu, deciding on the misoyaki salmon.

After placing their orders, Sakura broke the silence. "Have you thought about when you'd retire from ANBU."

"No." He fought not to elaborate. It was a delicate issue involving clan duties as well as responsibilities to the Hokage. Ultimately, the decision of when he would retire from ANBU wasn't up to him. She seemed not to care that his answer was short or that he offered no explanation to which he was grateful. "Have you?"

Sakura smiled. "I have thought about focusing on the hospital but now that Sasuke and Naruto are going to be in ANBU, I don't think I can. I don't trust their wellbeing to themselves." Before Itachi could comment, she continued. "I suppose that applies to Shisui as well."

"Shisui?" His tone was borderline contemptuous.

She nodded in thought. "Hmm. Shisui doesn't often get injured but when he does, he does so spectacularly and he doesn't like the hospital." Sakura shook her head in good natured exasperation.

Itachi smiled at her joke, the corners of his lips tilting upwards just slightly.

"And to you...to a lesser extent." Sakura added, piquing his curiosity.

"What do you mean?" She seemed to think he took offense and was flustered as she tried to explain.

"Oh, no, no. I only meant that you overwork yourself at times. I mean, you have the highest success rate of any ANBU captain which means you get the most difficult missions at a steady pace." Her hands had been animated but she was calm again, a light blush high on her cheeks. "I don't think the Hokage or your clan will let me leave ANBU duties when three of the most talented sharingan users are out on dangerous missions."

He knew her words weren't an attempt to flatter him or try to curry favor. In some ways she was exactly right. He could see how his clan would force the Hokage to keep Sakura in ANBU as their medic. He knew her presence on missions gave his mother some peace of mind. Having the Hokage's apprentice look after them was also key in reaffirming the Uchiha's importance in the village and it was something the elders and his father thought was their due.

"We are in your capable hands, Sakura-san." Her blush deepened to a shade darker than her hair. He fought not to reach out to stroke her heated skin and Itachi mentally berated himself at the absurd thought of doing such a thing. Despite his self control, his fingers twitched.

**

"Forehead! Open up!" Sakura heard the yelling from her front door, punctuated by a loud, incessant knocking.

Annoyed, she yanked the door open."Ino-pig? What are you doing here?" Her best friend barged right into her house and she sighed at the intrusion. She'd just gotten home from her shift and was just about to take a nap when she'd been interrupted. It was like Ino knew the moment Sakura's head met her pillow.

"How dare you go on a date and then come straight home." The blonde accused.

"I...what?" Of all the things she thought Ino would talk about, that hadn't been anywhere on the list.

"You had a lunch date with Uchiha Itachi and you didn't come to me?" Ah. That's what she meant.

"I didn't have a date with him." Ino rolled her pale green eyes at her.

"But you had lunch." She stated, making herself at home on her couch, taking a small square pillow and placing it on her lap instinctively. Sakura crossed her arms, wondering where Ino had even heard of her having lunch with Itachi. After they had gotten their food, the conversation mostly turned to Sasuke and Naruto's improvement and possible roster changes in ANBU.

"Yes."

"That was a lunch date." Sakura had paid for the meal and they went their separate ways with Itachi informing her he would let her know when dinner would be.

"You're ridiculous. He was returning my medical bag." Sakura inwardly cringed at the sharp look Ino gave her. She needed to learn to watch what she said around those who knew how to read her like a book.

"What was he doing with that?"

"I left it at his house." At her look, Sakura hastily continued. "Itachi was sick and his mother had errands to run so I looked after him for a few hours." She tried to sound nonchalant but Ino wouldn't let it go.

"Wait, the medical bag that Tsunade gave you?" Sakura made a sound of affirmation. "You'd never leave that behind. What happened?" She knew her best friend would never let this topic go.

Sakura groaned at her line of questioning. "Itachi may have touched my hair." At Ino's odd expression of confusion and disbelief, Sakura demonstrated by taking her pink strands between her thumb and forefinger.

"So, he petted you?"

"I'm not a dog," she said dryly, huffing in exasperation.

"So, he caressed you." Sakura visibly cringed at that word. It made the act sound so...intimate. Something lovers did.

"He was very sick and out of it," she rationalized.

"What else happened?"

Sakura paused. "What makes you think something happened?" she asked, finally taking a seat on a plush chair next to the couch.

"The fact you're not answering me, Forehead." Touche, Sakura thought then sighed, placing her elbow on the armrest closest to Ino and resting her chin in her palm.

"He may have kissed me." Ino's jaw fell as she gave her friend a blank stare of disbelief.

"He...what?!" Before Sakura could say it again, Ino interrupted her. "Did you kiss him back?"

"I was too shocked to do anything." Sakura admitted. She opened her mouth to add something then thought better of it and stopped herself.

"...but?" Ino prompted.

"But when he bit my lip, I may have…" Sakura looked away with a blush, letting her arm fall as she fidgeted in her seat.

"Holy. Hell. Itachi kissed you and you kissed him back. Then what happened?"

"I pushed him away and ran out of there. He was sick and probably didn't know what he was doing." Sakura swore she heard Ino mutter something under her breath that sounded like 'doubtful.'

"So are you two going out now or something?"

"No, I don't think he remembers kissing me."

"You know what this means right?" Sakura shook her head. "He's probably a player."

There was a pause as Ino's speculation rang around in her head. "What?"

"Makes sense. With teammates like Genma and Shisui, he must be. They must have corrupted him." The blonde looked smug, as though she'd discovered the secret of a century and solved a puzzle.

"You're being ridiculous Ino-pig."

"Am I? Even if you're sick, you don't kiss the person who's tending to you. When has that ever happened at the hospital." Ino had a point there. "He's probably a secret perv and total flirt."

"This is prim and proper, heir to Uchiha, Uchiha Itachi we're talking about." Sakura said, refusing to believe that Itachi could be a pervert. That would shatter everything she knew about the man.

"The perfect cover. Everyone is too scared to say anything when he flirts with them. He probably smooth talks his way out of it and leaves behind a bunch of heart broken girls."

"You're crazy Ino-pig."

"Then why do you think he kissed you?"

"He was probably confused...maybe he has someone he likes and he mistook me for her." But she knew that couldn't be the case. He'd very clearly said 'Sakura' before he kissed her. Whether he was saying her name or referring to the flower, she didn't know.

Ino gave her a dubious look then wryly said, "who else in the world has pink hair, Forehead?" Another point taken.

"Maybe my hair looked red to him. Maybe he was hallucinating. Who knows?" The denial wasn't enough to convince her friend and it was definitely not enough to convince Sakura. She just didn't know what it meant.

"Do you like him?"

"Me? Like Itachi?" Ino gave her a look that said, 'who else would I be talking about, you idiot.' Sakura bit her bottom lip. "I don't know. I'm attracted to him." Ino scoffed. "I may have some feelings." She still couldn't be sure. Sakura found him surprisingly easy to talk to. He didn't fluff his words or bother with idle gossip. When they were in a rambunctious group, he tended to stay silent and only spoke when spoken to. Sakura always assumed he was a man of few words and while that was true, that didn't mean he couldn't hold a conversation. His actions or words certainly didn't raise any red flags or rub her the wrong way.

Sakura felt she just didn't know Itachi well enough to have any deep affection for him but that didn't stop her from feeling something.

Sakura knew she was in trouble when Ino looked at her with pity.

**

As soon as Itachi met Shisui at their usual training area in the Uchiha compound, he was confronted with a seemingly simple question.

"You gonna tell me what that was back there?"

Silence. A raised eyebrow expectantly waiting an answer. Shisui sighed as he gave in to their staring contest first.

"You obviously know what I'm talking about." Itachi gave nothing away as he walked closer to where Shisui was seated under the shade of a large tree. "Trying to keep Sakura all to yourself, cousin?" He said, teasingly.

"What are you implying?" Itachi attempted to sound disinterested, hoping Shisui would enlighten him regarding his own actions. Sometimes Shisui seemed to know him better than he knew himself.

"You don't remember that killing scowl you sent my way when Sakura invited me to lunch?"

"I didn't want you wasting her time with your frivolous flirting."

Shisui's expression turned blank and Itachi grew cautious. "You've never bothered before." That was true. As long as it didn't interfere with missions and Shisui didn't misrepresent the Uchiha clan, Itachi didn't care who Shisui flirted with or what he did. If he and Genma wanted to philander about, Itachi had no objections. Shisui and Sakura were both professional adults. If they were to have a fling, emotional attachment, or a romantic relationship, they would be able to perform well on missions. Itachi had no reason to object.

"Hn."

"I think she's a worthy woman to pursue. There wouldn't be anything frivolous about it." His cousin said offhandedly in a thoughtful tone.

There was a lengthy pause as Itachi weighed his words. His first reaction had been to tell his older cousin and closest friend that Sakura was off limits. But the next logical question would be 'why'. Itachi didn't have an answer for that.

"I didn't know you were considering potential relationships. I was under the impression you were content to be a bachelor forever." He remarked instead.

"Well, my parents do want grandchildren. I'm going to have to get married eventually. Hopefully before I'm 30." Shisui laughed easily while Itachi tensed. His heart had dropped just for a moment at the possibility of Sakura and Shisui getting married and he was beginning to see the trend.

Shisui got up, dusting off his pants. "I think the clan would be okay with Sakura, don't you think?"

"She would be acceptable. As the Hokage's apprentice, she's more than qualified as a kunoichi. Her perfect chakra control would also be advantageous to have in the clan." Shisui's smirk didn't escape his notice and Itachi wearily looked for the trap his older cousin had set.

His thoughts turned to the woman in question. When they had been in Sakura's office, she'd been defensive and a bit unsettled to see him there. It had come from nowhere as Itachi had never gotten the impression Sakura was intimidated by him like most. The pink haired medic nin had been skittish, shocked to see him in her office. She was too easy to read, her emotions on her sleeve as it were. But he didn't know her well enough to be able to read her thoughts as the other members of Team 7 could.

Itachi would also admit he admired Sakura's compassion. She genuinely cared for others though her bedside manner could be a bit...rough. the pink haired woman took after their Hokage in that respect. She was reliable during missions and while many would complain at how he ran his team, she never questioned him or hesitated in following his orders. Itachi would go so far as to say she was one of the few women he respected as a person and as a shinobi.

As the pair agreed to the terms of their sparring session, Itachi activated his kekkei genkai. Sharingan, taijutsu, and weapons only. They were on even footing for the most part and took advantage of the spacious area they were occupying.

They were just breaking a sweat when Shisui spoke again. "I also think she'd be great in bed." Itachi paused for a split second, eyes narrowing as the comment caught him off guard.

Their kunai clashed with enough force that both of their arms shook from the impact as they wrestled to exert more pressure. "You'd have to get through Team 7 first."

Shisui only grinned as they broke from each other, taking a few steps back before clashing again with their fists. "Sakura's a woman." Shisui defended, blocking a roundhouse with his arm.

Team 7 wouldn't be able to do anything to stop her if she wanted to do something or date someone. Shisui was also strong enough to take whatever the male members of Team 7 could dish out. If Shisui proved he was serious about their teammate, there wouldn't be any real reason to oppose their relationship.

Before they could resume their sparring, Shisui grew uncharacteristically serious. "Itachi, you're my best friend," wondering where his cousin was going with this, he nodded. "If you like her, tell me now and I'll back off." When it was clear an answer wasn't forthcoming, Shisui sighed in exasperation. "Everyone thinks you're a genius but you're really a moron aren't you."


	3. Chapter 3

Sakura had a sneaking suspicion she had a Uchiha stalker on her tail and to be honest, it was baffling her. Everywhere she went, Sakura was met with a grinning Shisui. Sakura saw him when she ran errands, when she finished her shift at the hospital, and she would run into him on her way to lunch or dinner. As a result, Sakura ate a meal with him nearly every day. As the weekend drew near, she was sure to expect Sasuke to tell her exactly when she would be over for dinner so she took care not to make plans with anyone else. Her former teammate had finally approached her on Thursday to let her know his mother expected her on Saturday. Sasuke told her that his father had clan meetings so their dinner kept getting pushed back and that his mother had apologized for making her wait.

Shisui's company wasn't unwelcome, as her former teammates were busy with training for ANBU. Sakura considered Shisui a good friend and fun teammate to have on missions. He was a good blend of Sasuke's seriousness and Naruto's cheerfulness. He also stood in contrast to their Uchiha team leader as he was one of the few people who could get Itachi to bend on things. Itachi had the final say on missions but he tended to push the team harder than what was necessary and he could be strict over every tiny aspect of a mission. To others, it appeared Itachi was a robot or had a rather large stick up his ass. It could be a stressful, almost hostile environment to work in. Sakura had been on a mission with Itachi, Genma, and Shikamaru when Shisui was in the hospital and though the mission was successful, it had also been tense. No one spoke out of turn and they followed their captain to the letter.

Sakura rather enjoyed her time with Shisui to be honest. He was a distraction from her exhausting work at the hospital and the turbulent thoughts regarding her heart. No one escaped comparison in Konoha, it was how people gauged strength and as great clans were compared to great clans, those in the clans were compared to their strongest or to their heirs. In the Uchiha clan, it meant everyone was compared to Itachi. Shisui was no exception. But when it came to the two cousins, people were split. They were both undeniably strong and had mastered the sharingan to its fullest potential. But when it came to personality, Shisui was the clear winner. Though Sakura had to admit that Itachi didn't have a bad personality per se. It was however undeniable that Shisui was far easier to get along with for most people. Itachi was reserved, and his quiet approach to socializing made it appear as though he looked down on others or was indifferent.

Tales and stories of heroics and stupidity came easily to Sakura and Shisui, usually involving antics he'd gotten into with Genma and antics she'd gotten into with Sasuke and Naruto. The time with Shisui had Sakura regarding her kiss with Itachi as something from years ago rather than something that took place a week and a half ago. Ino had wisely and thankfully never brought the topic of Itachi again. Though her best friend had noticed Sakura's increased involvement with Shisui, they hadn't had a chance to really discuss things as her friend was sent off on a mission a few days ago. Ino meant well, but sometimes she could badger Sakura for information she simply didn't have and go on wild tangents. She could just hear Ino's accusatory voice asking if Sakura was getting chummy with Shisui in an effort to find a replacement for Itachi.

On Friday morning, while she was getting ready, Sakura heard something hit the window glass in her bedroom. Stepping out from the bathroom in her nightwear with her toothbrush still in her mouth and the white toothpaste foaming from her lips, she saw the raven perched on her windowsill. A pink brow raised in question, Sakura made her way to the window when the bird purposefully and deliberately pecked at the glass again. When she unlocked the window and lifted it open, the black bird hopped into the room and presented its right leg. Sakura ran the pad of her finger on its head in thanks then took the tiny scroll rolled up and tied to its slender appendage. The crow seemed to scope out her room then flew out her open window. Leaving her toothbrush in her mouth, she carefully unrolled the piece of paper which read: 'TG 3, 5PM'.

It was Itachi's handwriting which meant the crow was probably one of his. She understood the message to be to meet at training ground 3 at 5:00. Tossing the scroll on her dresser, Sakura went back to her bathroom to finish getting ready. She had a half shift at the hospital so the training wouldn't interfere with her schedule. Odd. Itachi didn't often have surprise training sessions and the thought of seeing him made her stomach tighten and then flip. But she couldn't ignore the summons, not if she wanted to keep a professional relationship with his ANBU team and avoid awkward questions. If Itachi didn't remember his actions, Sakura resolved herself to forget as well. The only problem was that his actions had made her aware of him as a man and it wasn't something that was as easily forgotten as a kiss.

While thinking over her feelings for him, she questioned herself multiple times. That maybe her newfound feelings were because of the kiss but when she thought about it, she didn't feel jilted because he didn't acknowledge it. It hurt her a little to think that it might have been a mistake on his part but it didn't change the way she felt about him. She'd questioned whether her feelings were due to the fact that he was related to Sasuke and had promptly dismissed the notion. She had long since gotten over her childhood love. Itachi had no place in that equation. So she was left with the only conclusion, which was that she actually, genuinely, and idiotically liked the stick in the mud.

Sakura was going to have a talk with her heart about why it liked to torture her with unattainable Uchiha men.

 

**

 

Itachi had never hated any member of his family more than how he currently despised Shisui. His older cousin had a knack for getting under his skin but he was being ridiculous. After their sparring session in which Shisui voiced his intent to pursue Sakura, Itachi had been content to allow his friend to get shot down on his own. What Itachi hadn't intended was give Shisui the opportunity to go after the pink haired kunoichi unopposed. There were already a few rumors going around of the pair being spotted eating together on multiple occasions and some speculated that the two were dating or at the very least, emotionally involved with one another.

When Itachi had first gotten wind of the gossip, he finally came to the realization that his possessive thoughts regarding Sakura weren't noble. Finally allowing himself to admit that he desired her for himself, he was presented with a problem. He found Shisui as his rival for a woman's affections. He would rather go up against the other Uchiha in a physical fight or even a mental one. Itachi had little experience when it came to matters of the heart to the point he had denied and doubted his feelings for Sakura for months.

When he'd looked for a source to his feelings for the medic, he discovered the turning point to have taken place 3 months ago. He had been strung tightly on a mission while Shisui lay in the hospital. It still hadn't been clear if his cousin was out of danger but he had been forced to leave the village to continue their mission. Itachi recalled it being Sakura's fifth ANBU mission and second with ANBU team 4. Shisui had been poisoned on their previous mission and it took the combined expertise of Tsunade and Sakura to bring him back from the brink of death. Itachi had been immensely grateful but equally concerned that the worst of the poison's effects were being kept at bay but that they would need to find the rogue nins or risk more Konoha shinobi. The mission had been tense mostly due to the atmosphere he'd created but he hadn't spared a thought for his teammates. On their third day of hard travelling, Sakura came up beside him to gently but firmly suggest a break to save their chakra.

He begrudgingly agreed and had opted to make a perimeter rather than actually rest. Sakura had checked on Genma and Shikamaru and then had come straight to him.

'He'll be okay,' she'd said simply and quietly. He spared her a small glance as he finished up the trap genjutsu. When he didn't give her a response, she smiled reassuringly then left to return to the others.

When Itachi turned to where she'd been standing, he noticed the water bottle and some nuts and berries resting on a napkin. It was a short, one sided exchange but it was one that left Itachi feeling oddly warm. The semi permanent crease in his brow lifted somewhat and he was able to focus on the mission rather than who it was for. She'd been unobtrusive and non-confrontational. A direct contrast to how she normally was when it came to stubborn people. He had seen her on multiple occasions punching Naruto hard enough to send the blond ninja flying clear across a field. He'd also seen her gut punch Sasuke with a smile. It was different from her medic persona as well and it was difficult for him to explain the moment. She understood his actions and though she might not completely agree with his behavior, she still respected him enough not to reprimand him for being negligent and had looked for a time they were alone. If she had fought him in front of Genma or Shikamaru, Itachi would have been confrontational back and it would have no doubt led to a complicated and strained mission.

The moment left him a bit at peace and with the stray thought that Sakura understood him better than most. It had comforted his worst fears for a beloved family member and also sobered him up to the way he was acting. Itachi didn't know if that was a reflection on how well she knew Sasuke but it still made him appreciate her presence. It was then that he became subconsciously aware of a woman for the first time. Being the Hokage's apprentice meant that Sakura had to have numerous experiences dealing with unruly shinobi, clients, and elders. Her skill in knowing when to use force or diplomacy was what had first drawn him to her because it reminded him of what his mother did as matriarch of the clan. That was what had first made Sakura appear on his radar.

After that, he took a keener interest in her on missions and training sessions, not because she meant something to Sasuke and the Hokage but because she begun to mean something to him. His respect and admiration had slowly changed to feelings more difficult to explain and so they went unnoticed until Shisui brought it up.

Itachi could give up anything for his family. He would willingly die for them, especially for Sasuke and Shisui. But he could not force himself to give up on Sakura without at least trying. It may be folly to go up against Shisui but he didn't want to regret standing by as his cousin won the affections of the only woman Itachi had ever liked. Even if Shisui and Sakura's relationship didn't end in marriage and the two broke up; what kind of friend would he be if he pursued her. More than that, Sakura would be known as someone who was after the Uchiha name. She would be scorned by lesser people who would only see her as a greedy harlot. Though Itachi knew she was strong enough to face them if she wanted to, he didn't want to sully her hard work and her achievements with toxic gossip. As the future clan leader, Itachi could silence any dissent in the clan but he couldn't keep others in the village silent.

He didn't want to tell Shisui to back off and he also didn't want to use underhanded tactics. It was a decision only Sakura could make. If he pursued her and she accepted him, he would do his best to make her happy and he would never be the one to let her go. Now, if only he knew what he was doing, he might have a fighting chance.

Itachi ran a hand through his bangs in an rare sign of anxiety. He felt out of his depth with no one to turn to for advice.

He arrived at the training grounds thirty minutes before they were supposed to start. He'd wanted to be the first one there and to ensure that the area had been properly reserved before Sakura arrived. Taking a seat under the shade of a large tree, Itachi attempted to mediate in order to calm some of his nerves and focus his mind.

Itachi sensed her arrival and opened his lids to watch the pink haired woman he'd been thinking of constantly for the past few days jogging towards him. She had a slight frown on her features and her clothes had been hurriedly changed into.

"I apologize." Sakura said when she was just a few feet in front of him. A bead of sweat trailed down the side of smooth face. Judging by her slightly pink cheeks and appearance, he assumed she'd sprinted from the hospital. "There was a meeting that ran a little late." He didn't move from his position and his gaze never wavered off of her. In an instant, he was ensnared and any lingering doubts for his attraction or feelings towards her dissipated. That thought calmed his mind more than the meditating had.

Sakura took a look around the area, noting the lack of anyone in the vicinity. "At least I'm not the only one late." She commented, obviously relieved as she began straightening out her clothes and windswept hair.

 

**

 

Sakura was acutely aware that Itachi hadn't said a word to her yet and it made her nervous. He was also staring at her in a way that caused the hair on the back of her neck to stand. Was he glaring at her for her tardiness? She swore inwardly. She was only seven minutes late. If he made a comment about her picking up Kakashi's bad habits, she was going to...her thoughts trailed off when Itachi stood gracefully to his full height.

"No one else will be joining us." Was it just her, or was his voice a little different? A tingle ran down her spine and Sakura became flustered. Not knowing if it was from his voice or the prospect of training alone with him, Sakura bit the inside of her cheek to keep herself from asking why it was just the two of them. It would be rude and the last thing she wanted to do was sour their working relationship. Trusting that Itachi had his reasons, Sakura took out her fingerless gloves and slid them onto her hands.

"Any limitations?" Sakura schooled her features, forcing herself to get serious. She was a Konoha kunoichi damn it and a pupil of the Hokage. She could go through a little sparing session with Itachi without becoming some doe-eyed preteen with a crush.

"None." As soon as the word left his mouth, his eyes turned red, the tomoe of his sharingan spinning lazily. Fighting the urge to shiver at his intensity, Sakura reminded herself to focus. If he thought she wasn't cut out for ANBU or compromised, he could go to Tsunade and have her kicked off of ANBU missions. With that thought in mind, Sakura found herself anticipating the fight.

She was a natural genjutsu type but she knew better than to look directly into his eyes. Itachi was an ANBU captain for a reason and his skill with the sharingan was nearly unrivaled. If this was a no holds barred training session, it meant he wanted to see her at her best and it would be an insult to her if he didn't deliver the same.

Keeping her gaze on his torso was out of the question. While it would give her insight into his movements, it was also impossible for her not to conjure his bare chest. Her green eyes were instead forced downward to his legs and feet like Kakashi often did in his sparing sessions with Sasuke. Sakura could feel his gaze on her and fought the urge to meet it head on.

A warm breeze flew past them. Itachi's attacks were generally smaller in scale than hers. With her main offensive attacks in taijutsu and her massive strength, she lacked the finesse to adequately respond to Itachi's ninjutsu and longer range. Setting up traps would take too long and creating a genjutsu would be out of the question. She would have to brute strength through this somehow. With a grin, Sakura darted forward, dodging the flames Itachi expelled. Striking the ground with an chakra empowered fist, she grabbed one of the bigger shards of earth and threw it at him while giving herself a shield against his eyes. Itachi dodged to the left and Sakura followed him, trying to close the distance for hand to hand combat but he was one step ahead of her. A grand fireball roared towards her and Sakura swore as she had no choice but to leap into the air. He was waiting for her and Sakura was forced to deflect the shiruken and kunai he sent her way before they both dropped to the ground.

As soon as her feet touched the ground, Sakura was forced to tumble away from another grand fireball. His hand signs were too fast. When she got out of the way, she jumped to her feet and ran along the trench the fire had made. Itachi dodged each of her punches and kicks, effortlessly looking through her attacks with the sharingan. Sweating from the exertion and from having been close to Itachi's fire, Sakura felt the rivulets run down her back.

Sakura had been wracking her brain for a way to get close to him when she felt an arm around her waist and a hand on her neck. She stilled immediately, wondering when he'd made a clone let alone had gotten behind her. Suppressing a shiver, Sakura felt the heat of his chest on her back. His grip was tight enough around her that she couldn't wiggle free, not that she would have tried.

His warm breath hit her ear. "Yield." Sakura gulped before disappearing in a puff of smoke.

Itachi whipped around just in time to deflect the kunai in Sakura's hand with his. Their eyes met and it was like a shot of electricity went through her. Her emerald eyes went wide as he grabbed her wrist, forcing her to let go of her kunai, then swept her leg out from under her. She fell to her back hard with Itachi on top.

Immediately, her cheeks were aflame from their positions as she silently prayed he wouldn't notice. Unable to hold his intense gaze, she turned her head to the side, her pulse jumping on her neck. "Yield." After a pause, Itachi's weight lifted off of her. Sakura closed her eyes tightly, willing herself to calm down before she slowly sat up.

 

**

 

Itachi schooled his features even as his traitorous heart sped up at their close proximity. Although he felt unsettled, he couldn't tear his eyes away from Sakura's heated face as she sat up. His sharingan memorized her movements and her features perfectly and Itachi didn't think he had ever been as thankful to have the kekkei genkai until this moment. She was utterly beautiful.

He really was a moron for not realizing sooner.

Before he could speak, Sakura broke the silence. "Should we have a rematch? Just taijutsu this time though." There was a lightheartedness to her tone that snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Hn." Itachi deactivated his sharingan as they both stood.

There was still a flush to her cheeks as they began fighting hand to hand. They were evenly matched for the most part but Itachi was still faster, giving him an edge. Their sparring session became more like a dance the longer it went on. He found himself beginning to enjoy it. There were times when Sakura would smirk or smile to herself and he wondered what she thought of. Something inside him settled down, calming him further in her presence.

Stress regarding the clan, his missions, Sasuke's wellbeing, or any of the other thousand responsibilities he had rested on him. He didn't think of how much death he'd seen, how much fighting he'd done. Politics of Konoha and the Uchiha clan, all of the doubts and concerns Itachi had harbored for so long simply drifted away. He could just be. With her. He couldn't imagine being like this with any other. The only people who came close to giving him this much peace were Shisui and Sasuke. Shisui provided understanding while Sasuke reminded Itachi that he had to go on for his brother's sake. But Sakura held so much life and gave Itachi hope for the potential of something more, something beyond being a shinobi or the Uchiha heir.

Once they both thoroughly worked up a sweat, they settled back down on the grass to catch their breaths.

Sakura panted, then leaned back to relax, holding her weight with her now gloveless hands.

"I apologize again for being late, Itachi-san." As though his attention wasn't already focused on her, he turned to address her.

"I'm not angry, there's no need to apologize again. I know you have commitments at the hospital."

She seemed to fidget slightly which caused him to wonder if he was sending her some sign of anger. She wrestled with her next words. "It's just that...forgive me for prying or being presumptuous but it just appeared to me that there was something bothering you. You just feel a little different. I mean-" He stopped her rambling with a hand over hers.

Sakura went silent immediately and looked at him, her emerald eyes wide. He watched her reaction as he spoke his next words carefully. "I came to a realization." She gulped, noting that their hands were still touching.

"W-what did you realize?" The pink haired woman next to him was understandably confused. But there was also something that told Itachi she would flee. He drew back from her with a small quirk of his lips. But before he could answer, Naruto's loud voice carried over to them.

Itachi withdrew from Sakura completely and the pair stood to see the hyperactive ninja, Sasuke, and Kakashi approach them at various speeds. The latter two took their time, Kakashi's head already in a book and his little brother appeared bored. Naruto was already in front of them after his short sprint.

"Hey Itachi. Hey Sakura-chan. Wanna go eat? We're getting Ichiraku." Itachi inwardly sighed. Of course they were. When the two straggling members of Team 7 finally made it to them, Sasuke shot him a quirked eyebrow in silent question.

"Nii-san." He then turned to his teammate. "Sakura." There was a short pause, as if building to the question that was on his mind. "Do you have a mission coming up?"

"Not that I know of," Sakura answered. At her curious gaze, Itachi gave a short nod. He could practically see Sasuke working things out and forming questions and Sasuke's gaze told him that his younger brother didn't appreciate him spending time with Sakura.

"Anyway, join us for some ramen." Naruto, ever oblivious to the subtle things, brought the attention back to food. Sakura smiled then hooked some of her pink locks behind an ear.

"Alright, alright. Ichiraku's it is." She easily joined her teammates and took a step forward before addressing him. "Itachi-san, won't you join us?" Another short nod later and Naruto was dragging Sakura along as they rushed forward a couple of yards ahead of them. His brother fell into step with him while Kakashi took the rear, still reading his book.

"What were the two of you doing?" Itachi spared a glance at his little brother, knowing that while Sakura probably couldn't hear their conversation over Naruto's boisterous voice. Kakashi on the other hand was definitely listening in.

"Sparing."

Sasuke scoffed. "That didn't look like sparing." From the angle that the group had arrived, they couldn't have seen Itachi's hand over Sakura's. His brother only had a hunch but was doing a good job pretending he knew more.

"We were just finishing up." Itachi stated simply and concisely. There was little inflection in his voice, giving Sasuke nothing to go off of.

"Okay. Why were you training with Sakura?" The kunoichi in question didn't even notice the mentioning of her name.

"Sakura goes on ANBU missions, it's only natural to become accustomed to her fighting style." Sasuke gave him a dubious look that Itachi chose to ignore.

"Do the other members of ANBU team 4 not need to 'become accustomed to her fighting style'?" Sasuke asked, dryly. Itachi was going to have a talk with his brother about his smartass mouth and use of sarcasm.

"Are you implying something, Sasuke?"

"Only that you only train one-on-one with me or Shisui and you're acting strangely towards my female teammate." The statement was generally true. Itachi preferred training with his brother or cousin when their schedules permitted. If neither were available, he trained alone. Behind them, Kakashi made no sound other than the flip of a page.

"Hn." Itachi knew he probably should have left it at that. But something made him open his mouth. It could have been Sasuke's comments or the fact that he'd fully acknowledged his feelings towards Sakura but the words couldn't be stopped. "And if I was?" Sasuke stopped in his tracks in shock as Itachi continued the pace he'd previously set and Kakashi casually walked around the stunned nin.

"Nii-san!" He couldn't help but smirk. Naruto and Sakura both looked back, wondering what had happened. When Itachi and Kakashi kept walking, they both shot inquiring looks to Sasuke before they turned and continued towards the ramen stand.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm currently working on a bunch of shorts for Sakura with DC/Marvel characters that has been taking my muse so I'm not sure when I'll get back to this fic.

Saturday came quickly and Sakura arrived at the Uchiha compound to Mikoto's bright smile as the Uchiha matriarch warmly invited her into their home.

"Good evening Sakura. Come in, dinner is almost ready."

"Thank you for having me." Sakura remarked politely as she took off her sandals and placed them on the shoe rack.

"It's always a pleasure having you over." Mikoto said. Every time Sakura talked with Mikoto, she wondered why Sasuke was so rude. Mikoto was a lovely, elegant, and polite woman. Perhaps Sasuke took after his father, Sakura thought. It was no secret that Fugaku was a prickly man who could be condescending towards others.

"Do you need help with anything Mikoto-san?"

"Oh, no. You go on upstairs and dinner will be ready shortly. You're our guest, Sakura. Naruto is in Sasuke's room. Feel free to get settled." It wasn't often that Naruto beat her to an appointment but a shift at the hospital ran a little late and Sakura needed extra time to clean up and make herself presentable. The composed Uchiha matriarch ushered Sakura in and led her to the stairs leading up to Sasuke's room.

"Thank you." Sakura said a bit awkwardly, wanting to help rather than be a burden. But she understood the formality of the night and walked up the stairs. It was only at the top of the staircase that Sakura realized she only knew the way to Itachi's room. Sakura looked back down the staircase only to find Mikoto gone and no one else in sight.

She stood there, torn between going back down the stairs and troubling the older woman with directions, which would only result in Sasuke's mother having to drop what she was doing to lead her to Sasuke's room. Alternatively, Sakura could walk down the hall calling for Sasuke. But who knew how many other people were currently in the house. Heaven forbid Sasuke's father appear from somewhere and embarrass her. Her last option was to go to Itachi's room for directions. But she wasn't sure if she wanted Itachi to be there when she got to his door.

Wanting to pull out her hair, Sakura inwardly screamed in frustration.

"What are you doing?" Her head whipped towards the source of the voice and let out a sigh of relief.

"I was-your mother told me to hang out in your room until dinner was finished." She swore he had a small smirk.

"So you decided to loiter by the stairs?"

"I wasn't loitering!" Sakura glowered. "I've never been in your room, you jerk."

"Hn." The other infuriating Uchiha in her life turned on his heel without even a gesture telling her to follow him.

'How could a woman like Mikoto have raised such a jerk,' Sakura thought for the second time that day. When they were younger, Sasuke was too aloof and haughty to invite his team to his house, not wanting to embarrass himself in front of his family at only being a genin at age 12, even though that was the norm.

By the time they were chunin, Sakura had been too busy as apprentice to Tsunade to have much leisure time. Naruto similarly had been off with Jiraya for a few months for training while Sasuke threw himself into training with his clansmen.

When Sasuke opened the door for them Sakura noticed that Sasuke's room was near Itachi's, although Itachi's was farther down the hall.

When she entered the door, Naruto was seated on a desk chair, his arms hanging by his sides as he lazily turned the seat from side to side with his feet.

"Sakura-chan!" He yelled exuberantly, immediately perking up in her presence.

"Go get your own water, dobe." Sasuke said as he sat on the edge of his bed.

Naruto in response frowned and got up with a, "I wanted to talk to Sakura-chan, teme." Still, the hyperactive ninja left the room without additional fuss in what Sakura could only assume was a show of restraint by Naruto.

Sakura took the seat Naruto had just occupied and glanced around Sasuke's room, noting the differences between his and Itachi's.

While Itachi's room was sparse, Sasuke's looked a bit more lived in with a slight mess that could only be from a boy. The room itself wasn't cluttered by any means but he indulged in a bed rather than a futon. There were a few clean but unfolded shirts by the corner closest to the door and the bed was haphazardly made. Kunai and shuriken were on his desk and his tanto lay by the foot of his bed.

She was too busy taking note that she missed the calculating, analyzing gaze her teammate had on her.

"Sakura." At the sound of her name, she turned her attention to him. "Did something happen with my brother?"

Before she could school her features or even attempt to hide her reaction, she unwittingly stiffened, giving it away.

"What happened?"

Sakura laughed uneasily. "What would possibly happen to your brother? He's fit as a fiddle the last time I checked. Why, does he seem to be suff-"

"I asked if something happened with my brother."

Oh.

The kunoichi gulped quietly, wondering what had sparked this conversation. "I don't know what you're asking, Sasuke."

"Do you like Itachi?"

'Where the hell is this coming from,' she thought. Unless Ino went around blabbing to everyone, Sasuke shouldn't have ever suspected something like this. Not only was he notoriously blind to what girls thought or did, but he'd never expressed any interest in her love life. Their lunch the other day was uneventful and Sakura was barely able to say two words to his older brother with Naruto's chatter. But before she could give her answer or even formulate one, he cut her off.

"Nevermind. I don't want to know." Her confusion was turning to irritation which he had to have sensed if the narrowing of her eyes wasn't a big enough clue, Sakura's chakra flared just a little in agitation. Her mind was whirling from his change in demeanor and his abrupt questions. "Sakura."

"What?" She snapped, getting more annoyed as this conversation went on.

"Be one hundred percent certain."

"What?" The confusion was returning, making her head spin. Why did conversations with her friends go nowhere? Ino and her craziness, and now Sasuke and his vagueness. Shisui wasn't like this either so it couldn't be an Uchiha trait unless it only affected the main house. "Be more specific, damnit!"

"Hn." Sakura took a deep breath to convince herself that punching her teammate through his wall before dinner would be impolite to Mikoto.

The silence stretched on and Sakura knew getting anything more from her teammate would be like pulling teeth. She had half a mind to stomp out of the house with Sasuke in tow and beat the answers out of him anyway. Before she could execute her plan however, Naruto came in with a cup of tea for her and a glass of water for himself. Sakura knew Sasuke wouldn't say anything about what they'd just discussed to Naruto and that made her feel a little bit better. Naruto would just find a way to make a mess of things and dinner was just a few minutes away.

Taking the offered teacup, some of her earlier ire melted away and she decided she would beat the annoying Uchiha for answers later.

"Hey, hey, Sakura-chan." Naruto's exuberant voice cut through her violent thoughts. "Shisui invited us to get drinks after dinner. He said he was paying! Come with us."

"Naruto," she began, in a chiding tone. "I can't crash something like that, especially since he offered to pay. It would be rude."

"But he said he would pay for Team 7! That includes you."

"I have a shift at the hospital tomorrow." Naruto's crestfallen face made it difficult for her to completely refuse. "But, I'll stay out for an hour or two."

"Yeah! That's the spirit, Sakura-chan."

 

**

 

By the time Team 7 entered the dining room, Itachi, Mikoto, and Fugaku were seated and the table was set. Sakura felt a bit bad for not providing any assistance. With Sasuke seated by his brother and Naruto already taking the seat across from their teammate, Sakura sat across from Itachi, actively avoiding his gaze. Damn Naruto and his lack of any social awareness in the awkward way she took her seat.

In front of each person was a personal serving of beef soup, a bowl of rice, and a piece of grilled white fish. The rest of the table had plates of side dishes, pickled vegetables, slices of grilled meat, and fresh greens to share.

"This looks amazing, Mikoto-san, thank you for having us." Sakura said, hinting to Naruto to also thank their hosts for the meal.

"Yeah, it looks delicious!" Naruto fidgeted excitedly in his seat, already picking up his chopsticks before anyone else did.

"Nonsense, you're both welcome to join us for dinner anytime." Mikoto said kindly.

Fugaku, a man of few words picked up his chopsticks and began the dinner by taking a small portion of his rice, prompting others to begin eating as well.

Itachi didn't look in her direction often but when he did, the fine pink hairs on the back of her neck would stand up. She also tried to get Ino's words out of her mind.

After the training session and dinner with Itachi and her team, she immediately set out to confide in her best friend. Ino had been overjoyed and a bit over excited to see her and hear the latest development. 'I'm telling you, Forehead, he's a player', she'd exclaimed more than once. 'Live a little', 'get some Uchiha action', and 'don't fall too hard', were Ino's pearls of wisdom. Sakura had ignored all of them. But one stood out to her.

'Don't fall too hard for him, he's the clan heir and poster boy of a clan that prides itself on marrying within the extended family to keep their kekki genkai.' Ino had said the words in a deadly serious manner. Then immediately switched to being a crazy person with her next words 'you'd be better off going after Shika or Neji.' It was at that point in the conversation that Sakura tuned out her best friend, mulling her words over in her head.

If she thought having a childhood crush on emotionally stunted Sasuke was difficult, having a crush on Itachi would be tantamount to proving she had masochistic tendencies.

As a result of her conversation with Ino and the frustrating interaction with Sasuke, Sakura was stuck.

She truly did care about the Uchiha heir. Sakura knew for certain she held him in high esteem and after their kiss, she had become aware of her affection for him.

But was the cake worth the bake? That was essentially what Ino was getting at. Was the hurdle of possibly going against the Uchiha elders and Itachi's parents worth the trouble. More than that, she was still unsure of his intentions or feelings. How much time and effort could she expend to her feelings for him if there were so many uncertainties and obstacles. She wasn't a love struck pre-teen anymore and she didn't believe in fairy tales. Sasuke had never talked about the inner workings of his clan but it wasn't unusual for clan heirs to be betrothed from a young age.

She'd spent her whole life without a significant other, too busy hung up on Sasuke during her genin years, and then too busy with training with Tsunade and the hospital during her formative years to really consider anyone in a romantic way after Sasuke.

Sakura had been so engrossed in her thoughts she almost didn't catch the question directed at her.

"You left so quickly for your dinner, I never got to ask if Itachi gave you any trouble."

She could practically see the wheels in Naruto's head turning and inwardly raged at him for being so dense. "But Sakura, we went to-" the pink haired kunoichi stepped on what could only be Naruto's foot under the table next to her and dug her heel in. Naruto yelped a bit.

"Sorry, Naruto. I didn't know that was your foot." Sakura said sweetly, trying to keep from glaring at him.

Sasuke sighed quietly and Sakura had to keep herself from glaring at her other teammate. Usually she was the one exasperated with their antics but as soon as they enter Sasuke's domain, he gets uppity and pretends he's the mature one.

Thankfully, Fugaku continued eating and Itachi barely looked up from his own meal.

"Itachi-san spent the entire time resting." Sakura offered instead, wanting nothing more than to slap both of her teammates upside the head.

Sasuke would no doubt ask her about what happened while tending to Itachi. She wanted to yell that she hadn't done anything wrong. If anything, she was the one who had been wronged! She'd had her first kiss stolen by someone who either didn't remember or didn't care to remember.

Her nerves were frayed and her patience was running thin and dinner had barely just begun.

Thankfully for Sakura's sanity, the rest of the dinner proceeded without a hitch.

Sasuke's father had even asked her a few questions regarding ANBU and whether she had plans to become a full-time member. Sakura had of course dispelled any notion of that with her steadfast commitment to the hospital. She'd expected Fugaku to be displeased but he appeared indifferent to her answer.

Damn Uchihas and their perfect masks. Already irritable after her conversation with Sasuke, Sakura decided the only Uchihas worth her time were Mikoto and Shisui. At least the two of them gave her facial expressions to work off of. Even Kakashi, with the majority of his face covered was better at expressing emotions. Sure, some of them were false but at least it was _something_.


End file.
